Verma, former social welfare minister in the state, had stepped down after her name cropped up in connection with the rape of 30 girls at a Muzaffarpur shelter home.
The Supreme Court on Monday summoned Bihar's director general of police (DGP) and chief secretary, noting abject failure of the state to bring to book those guilty of raping girls in government-run shelter homes.
A bench of justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta was "shocked" to know that Manju Verma, a former Cabinet minister of the state facing arrest, was untraceable and the state police had no clue about her whereabouts. "We are quite shocked to know that a former Cabinet minister in the state could not be traced," it said.
Verma, former social welfare minister in the state, had stepped down after her name cropped up in connection with the rape of 30 girls at a Muzaffarpur shelter home. A cache of arms was recovered from her home, and a case was lodged against the minister and her husband in this connection. After pressure from the court, the husband surrendered, but the former minister is still at large despite her anticipatory bail being rejected by the Patna High Court on October 9.
In addition, the court was also informed by amicus curiae Aparna Bhatt that things were not good with other shelter homes in the state. She pointed to a news report that said girls were tortured and raped in 14 other shelter homes, while there is no child welfare committee in the state either.
"What to talk of child welfare committees, even the police in the state is not working," the court remarked. The bench directed the Chief Secretary to be also present on November 27.
Who Is Verma
Manju Verma, a JD(U) MLA and former Bihar minister for social welfare, had to step down after her name cropped up in connection with the rape of minor girls at the Muzaffarpur shelter home
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 "Manju Verma")
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